BOSTON — LeBron James and the Cavaliers are headed back to the NBA Finals to defend their championship.

The Cavs closed out the Boston Celtics with a convincing 135-102 victory Thursday in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals, setting the stage for a highly-anticipated threequel with the Golden State Warriors. It is the first time in NBA history the same two teams have met for the championship in three consecutive seasons.

It is Cleveland's third consecutive trip to the Finals, and it is James’ seventh consecutive appearance. That's the league's longest streak since Bill Russell and the Boston Celtics appeared in 10 in a row during the 1950s and ‘60s.

James scored 35 points, grabbed eight rebounds and passed for eight assists Thursday to pass Michael Jordan for first place on the all-time scoring list in a game that was never close. The Cavs led by 20 within the game’s first 10 minutes, marking the third time in four games in this series the Cavs led by at least 20.

The Warriors became the first team in NBA history to begin a postseason 12-0, and the Cavs finished the East playoffs at 12-1. Game 1 of the Finals is Thursday at Oracle Arena.

Jason Lloyd is the editor-in-chief of The Athletic Cleveland. He previously spent seven years covering the Cavs for the Akron Beacon Journal. His first book, "The Blueprint: LeBron James, Cleveland's Deliverance and the Making of the Modern NBA" debuted on Oct. 24. Follow Jason on Twitter @JasonLloydNBA.